The Fae Lrinned as she looked me up and down “Oooh this is the new Saint is she? Fasating. Dream gods certainly have fir, I will never deny that. Love the hair, dear.”

  Dekarru sighed. “Name?”

  The not-elf stuck her to. “Mary sounds nice, don’t you think?”

  “A human name for an elf body. That just seems so you, doesn’t it?”

  “I am sistent in some ways I suppose.” She sighed dramatically. “Now, I hear that some damned angels wandered into the valley and got themselves shot up? And more, you mao take one alive?”

  Avarin narrowed her eyes slightly a her knitting down. “We have the hearts for you. Sealed and full of celestial mana for you to py with.”

  Mary cpped and smiled wide. “Wonderful! Now about the captured one. I will be taking it and-”

  “No.” I spoke up and everyouro me.

  “No? What use could possibly have for one of them? Dour bastards the lot.”

  “She’s talking now.”

  A middle aged Elder who’s name I hadn’t caught yet turo me. “How do you know that?”

  Mary’s brows raised, she tapped her and stepped closer. “Yes, how do you know that indeed?”

  I pulled my sungsses off and stared into Mary’s eyes. “I’m the Saint of a Dream goddess. I do all sorts of fun things to people when they’re asleep. Or, potentially not very fun things too I guess.”

  Mary wavered for a moment [Find the Pulse] letting me see the worry in her eyes though it was only there for a moment. “Well well well, the little pup has teeth. Mine are bigger.” The threat lingered in the air for a moment.

  “Did you know that when I meet someone, even only briefly, I find them in the Dream quite easily? It’s a bit of a alent of mine, but a very useful one.” I smiled brightly at the Fae Lord, ining my head to her just a touch. “It’s been very o meet you Mary, its always better to have more friends. Wouldn’t you agree? Especially wheernative is more enemies?”

  You could feel the air leave the room as everyone’s breath caught. Even Pellu took her feet off the table and stared in worry. After all, there was a Saint and a Fae Lord casually threatening each other just a few feet away. Hell, even Dekarru was silent.

  Mary took a breath and stepped back. “You’ve made your point, Saint Dreamsinger. I still want the angel but I am not so inflexible as a celestial. We discuss this like reasonable beings of power.”

  “I would like that far more than any possible unfriendliness.” I said and held out my hand.

  Mary then grabbed me and pulled me into a sudden kiss. It was short but powerful and I felt a moment of magic flowing from her into me. Magic that I could feel immediately be beaten back by my Willpower, along with a faint pulse of power that felt like Vei’Ryn. Mary practically jumped away and smirked. “Sorry, but I had to try. Looks like your patron is a smart ohough.” She shrugged and pulled a chair to her with a snap of her fingers before flopping down in it. “I won’t be trying to trol you again, a Saint in my dreams is bad enough, a Goddess is more than I want to risk.”

  Dekarru cleared her throat and pulled a pair of chairs for her and me. “Looks like we’ll be here lohan I thought.” She shook her head.

  Mary sat bad looked over at the Elders “Layanta dear, is Esme corre saying the angel has been talking?”

  The Elder who seemed to be the only ohat knew of the angel’s sudden cooperation cleared her throat. Ah, she must be the Elder for the Willow Creek region, the local leadership as it were. That would expin that. “Yes, though of nothing strategic. She woke up this m and just requested grilled fish. First thing she’s said since she was captured. Sihen it seems like she’s just rambling about her life. Which is to say, she’s talking about life in the Celestial Realm, at length.”

  Everyone’s eyes widened. I had made an educated guess about mortals not knowing much about celestial society and it looked like I was right. Bandal sat forward “Wait, you’re telling me we have an aelling us what the Celestial Realm is like?”

  Layanta he Pure Lands is apparently their own name for it. It seems like that’s not something they share with mortals though.”

  Mary grinned and looked at me again. “And how, dear dreaming one, did you get her to start sharing?”

  I looked at them all, then at Dekarru who looked very troubled. “I didn’t hurt her or threaten her if that’s what you’re thinking.” The shaman’s shoulders lowered slightly in relief. “Long story short, they’re a bunch of purist dicks to each other. Angels born like her are outcasts, living in their version of slums. She got this task because her Skills and Spells are not well received in their society as a whole, but they’re so scared of me that they promised her a p their ‘Choir’ or whatever if she helped them. Telling her I was a threat to the world that o be destroyed and she would be rewarded for it was all she o hear. But not being raised by the asshole overlords seems to have kept her empathy intact.”

  “So what, you were o her and now she’s your friend?” The Fae bli me with disbelief in her eyes.

  I shrugged. “It works more often than not. A little kindness goes a long way.”

  “From what I hear you don’t have anything ‘little’.” Mary grinned and I rolled my eyes. “Seriously, have you fucked the angel yet? Or was it really so easy as making friends?”

  “I don’t fuck everyone I make friends with.” I huffed at her.

  Dekarru cleared her throat and fought a smile. “I mean, damned near.”

  “And who’s the ohat brought me into the sex cult?” I stared at her.

  “We are not a-!… Okay we’re slightly a sex cult sometimes. But we have chaste members too! And you are certainly not one of them.”

  Avarin cleared her throat. “As fasating as it is hearing about your sex life, we get back to the matter at hand?”

  I nodded “Sorry. My point is, I got her talking after one single dream. It wasn’t even a long one. Maybe fifteen minutes. Leave her with me and I get her telling us everything she knows about her people and her realm. Which, I fully admit, sounds like not much. But any insight into their society be useful, both to us as mortals and to a Fae Lord looking to cause trouble.”

  Mary clucked her tohat is an annoyingly good point.”

  Dekarru smirked. “Hell, give her a week or two and I bet Stareyes here will get the ao devote herself to the Path.”

  Mary’s eyes went wide and her gri wider. “I would be in your debt if you mahat. Oh gods and heavens above and below, I’m not sure I would ever stop ughing if an angel joihe Green Mother’s Path.”

  I raised a brow “So you’ll agree to let me have her?” a clearing of throats from some of the Elders and I amehe statement. “To let me have provisional custody of the angel uhe authority and ht of the Willow Creek Nation’s Elders.” I gnced over and got a feroving nods from them.

  Mary sighed aated before nodding. “Fine. But I’m going to stick around to watd have some fun while I’m in town.”

  Dekarru grunted. “Do not try that nonsense like you did st time. Transp random people into the Encve Distriaked without their sent is not as funny as you think it is.”

  Mary huffed. “I have other things to pay attention to this time.” The Fae Lord suddenly grew an evil grin. “Like watg you have m siess, dear oracle.

  “What!?” Ogaro stood up. “You’re with child?!”

  Dekarru sighed. “You are a pain in my ass, Mary.” She turo the Elders. “Yes yes, good news. The Green Mother’s oracle lio live on.” Her tone was annoyed, but her eyes sparkled with happiness.

  “No offeo the great Oracle, but… how exactly?” Junren looked at the old shaman, a slight tinge of disgust on his face. I was really learning to not like this fancy little bastard.

  “Well you see, when an Oracle and a Saint like each other very much-” I began before several of the Elders started ughing uproariously.

  Avarin mao trol herself first. “I had heard some straails about you Saint Dreamsinger, I had dismissed them as rumor but I guess I was wrong!”

  Pellu looked me over slowly, a look I was quite familiar with at this point. “Oh really? So all we had to do was find a woman with a god granted cod we got Dekarru pregnant within a month? How magical is that thing anyway?”

  Dekarru snorted. “e to the Encve District, find out for yourself.”

  “I do have some free time.” She smirked.

  I looked at Dekarru and raised a brow questioningly. “I mean… should we tell them? It’s kinda personal but it will e up soon sidering the ck of pants in the district.”

  The shaman sighed and nodded. “Speaking of god granted cocks. This brilliant idiot earned a Boon and nga has ooo.”

  Avarin perked up immediately. “Wait, The Wall? She has a diow? Why?”

  Pellu sched her brows together “What do you mean why? She has a wife that wants kids. How do you not know this?”

  “She does not! I would know if she’d been wed. I’ve been trying to get my granddaughter to go meet her for years after all!”

  “She won’t join up with the military just because she marries your brat you know.”

  “Let an old woman dream, will you?”

  Dekarru cleared her throat. “Redagga and Briggavel are not married, but only in the most literal of sehey two are inseparable and have been for quite some time.”

  Banda smiled at me. “You received a Boon from yoddess and used it for that?”

  I shrugged. “They want kids. I want them happy.”

  They ughed and spped the table. “I like this Saint! Emse Dreamsinger, if you ever find yourself in Mother’s Teeth you have a pce at my table anytime! I won’t even ask you to wear clothes!”

  Dekarru snorted. “You wouldn’t ask anyway.”

  Durran sighed. “ we get ba task please?”

  “Which task is that now? There have been a few.” Mary spoke up, clearly enjoying the hells out of the chaos.

  “First of all, official vote on putting the angel into Saint Dreamsinger’s custody. All for?” All but one hand raised, fancy boy was trying hard not to gre at me. “All opposed.” Junren raised his hand. He had to know it was useless which means he did it purely as an insult to me. “Good. We’ll have a mana draining device of some kind prepared and tact you when she’s ready to be handed over, Saint Dreamsinger.”

  I nodded. “Thank you Elders. I will do all I to secure her cooperation.”

  Utros spoke up . “Official vote on instituting a military recruitment drive. All for? … All opposed?” The exact same thing happened. Junren was the lone oppo and he looked pissed about it.

  Pellu jumped in at this point. “Official vote to start talks to ACTUALLY beilitary allies with Uvtrayl. All for?” This time the votes were more split. Even Dekarru seemed to hesitate before raising her hand.

  Mary cleared her throat before the opposing votes could be ted. “Oh, so I do have a bit more information that might somewhat effect your votes on that particur matter.”

  Everyourard the Fae Lord. Dekarru broke the awkward silehat hung in the air for nearly a full minute. “Well? Are you going to tell us or just tease like a brat?”

  Mary grinned. “Pitrak is pnning to secede and request an alliah Uvtrayl, if not ht bee an Uvtrayl territory.”

  “Bullshit!” Yin barked out.

  “Oh it’s quite true. Though I admit it wasn’t the Prime Minister’s idea so much as it was some subtle encing from a certain Fae Lord that started that ball rolling.”

  “What? Why?”

  Mary sighed and sat ba her seat, looking deadly serious as she spoke . “Because I have a Wild Hunt rger than any I’ve ever made and I still barely hold back the demons growing fat and powerful otlefields those two nations are leaviweeheir numbers and strength are far, far too great and as far as I tell it’s entirely because they are feeding on the flict. I’ve actually lost territory to the damhings.” She rubbed her face tiredly. “When I first heard angels had desded I thought they were taking advantage of how much my forces are distracted with our northern borders. I want. The war. To stop. Pitrak switg sides will make that guaranteed.”

  The faces in the room were worried. If the Fae Lord was that stressed it was a serious matter. Avarin took a breath. “We have had reports in all northern regions of increased demon activity but we didn’t realize it was that bad.”

  “Well it is. I lost a dryad st month.” Memories tore into my mind. Dryads, powerful and benevolent fae that are bound to an a mana iree where they protect their woodnds for miles around them. Tendri loved reading about fae and told me as much as she mao learn in the evenings after dinner.

  Dekarru stiffened. “If it is that bad, that is more reason to ally with Uvtrayl, a united front would help end the war through diplomacy if nothing else. And if Pitrak truly is seeking to leave the Empire and ally with Uvtrayl, they do so more easily knowing they are joining an already powerful alliance.”

  Utros grunted “And if the new Empress really is on the ath denying them a sizable nation with an experienced military would be wise. Yeah. Damn I hate politics.” He grumbled.

  I cleared my throat. “I think it’s a good idea. Like I told Mary earlier, it’s better to have more friends than more enemies. If the Empire is hell-bound to be our ehen we should have as many friends as possible before they do anything. We may be strong enough to win a war with them, but I’d rather be strong enough to prevent the war from breaking out in the first pce.

  Pellu took a breath. “Okay, start over then. Vote to begin talks to beilitary allies with Uvtrayl. All for?” This time Junren was the only opposition, again.

  He flexed his fingers in anger, but also in… something else? I stared at him, fog on his expressions. I couldn’t pce it until he looked at me and gred. “You! You did this somehow! You turhese people against tradition and good seh your powers no doubt!”

  “Since when do you care about tradition you fluffed up windbag?” Targan grunted out. “We voted, you lost, get over it and abide by our decision just like we all have to when we lose a vote.”

  Durran sighed. “I vote to end this session. We’ve gone over far more than we had intended and I need a fug drink.” A round of agreement and everyoood. “Good session, we all have calls to make and pns to get going on.”

  Half an hour ter I was sitting by the ke in the Encve District, looking at the ents that had sprung up while we were out. It seemed a couple more tribes had arrived. Mary and Dekarru sat with me.

  The Fae Lord smiled at me. “You saw something, didn’t you?”

  Dekarru raised a brow but waited for my response. “Junren. He wasn’t just upset. He was afraid. Extremely afraid, and trying to hide it under false anger.

  The shaman looked fused. “What do you mean?”

  “He was scared about how those votes went. e to think of it I think he was the most afraid with me being granted custody of Azuriel. Oh, that’s the angel’s name.”

  “Why?” Dekarru’s brows sched together in thought.

  “I have no idea. But it bothers me. That ma off so many arms in my head that I wao throw my chair at him by the end.”

  Mary shrugged. “I think of a few reasons it would worry him but none of them are particurly ving. I’m also bothered by his fearful rea but I have no solid reason for it.”

  “Just intuition.” I looked down at my arm. “What do you think Carmil?”

  Carmil flowed from my runes and formed in my p, ying against me. “He was beiive the eime, about what I ot say. His words reeked of manipution and his spirit stank of selfishness and greed. I found being in his presence quite horrible.”

  Mary whistled. “And a god touched elemental as well? I am very gd I came.”

  Dekarru grunted. “I get the feeling this is going to get worse soon.”

  I nodded silently. Somethi very wrong but I had no words for exactly what it was that felt so off. So I simply held my elemental lainst me and watched the clouds roll by, trying to find my mental footing as it were as I went over everything that was said and done. Gods, what a shitshow.

  But in the end, I was home. My p Dekarru’s tribe and in the Willow Creek Nation were safe, my Goddess and her Pantheon had a patron on this world, and I even had a little one on the way. More was going to be happening soon enough but for now I khat one major hurdle was over. The one could wait a day or two.

  End of Arc 3 – Putting Down Roots